In Which Howl Learns of Sophie's Fears
by Mollz33
Summary: Sophie may have only just become a strong-willed young woman, but there is one thing that still scares her. Can Howl make her feel better?


~Sophie~

'_So much for picking flowers today…' _Sophie thought as she stared out the window of her bedroom in the infamous Moving Castle of Wizard Howl.

It had started raining four days ago with no end in sight. In order to keep herself in spirits, Sophie had cleaned every room in the castle three times over. However, there's only so much cleaning a castle can need, so eventually Sophie was left with nothing to do but watch the rain.

Howl was, as usual, away, but this time it was too stop the rain. Apparently it's been raining in all of Ingary. So much so that the king has sent forth Howl to help solve the matter. Kingsbury would've flooded over twice if not for him and his magic.

'_I should be proud of him. He's doing a great job, keeping the towns flood free and all. Oh, but I do miss him…'_

Because of the rain, Calcifer has been more focused on keeping out drips and making sure the castle didn't flood from the bottom up. And Markl has been studying his spells and charms, leaving Sophie with no one to talk to but herself. Howl promised the rains would stop soon. But that was 3 days ago and he hasn't been home since.

Normally Sophie would've been happy just fluttering around the flower field that Howl gave to her, but she needed the social time. To be able to sit down and talk with someone about their day or what they had accomplished. But as stated before, her whole family was busy.

"Urrgh! There's nothing to do!" Sophie yelled while she fell on top of her bed on her stomach, her arms grabbing a pillow for her chin, as her eyes just peeped through between hair and pillow. The constant crash of raindrops against her windowsill and the familiar hum of the castle filling her ears.

The rain pouring down like the land of Ingary was trapped in a huge shower. Normally such a thought would've made her laugh but now the rain was just annoying.

"Well, at least there hasn't been any-"

CRACK-BOOM

"EEEKKKK!" Sophie's bedroom lit up like a light bulb for a blink of an eye. She grabbed her pillow and threw it over her head, shivering and panic-stricken.

CRACK-KABOOM

Sophie whimpered and took off to her closet, shutting the door and buried herself under a mountain of clothes, as a way to protect herself. Flashes of light would periodically light up her bedroom and the edges of the closet doors would glow. Shortly following after, a loud BOOM and the CRACK of the noise shattering the atmosphere.

She had no idea how long she had been hidden under there, but eventually she fell asleep between crying and whimpering. The undeniable fear finally taking it's tool on her.

~Howl~

After five days of trying to end the never-ending rain, Howl finally had a spur of luck and was able to find a median. Charming the effected land to speed up the weather rate. By tomorrow morning the rain will have completely burned itself out, leaving only clear skies and sun. In the mean time, the rain would continue to worsen into thunderstorms, and then die out.

But after 5 days of attempting to end the storm, Howl couldn't wait to get to his castle to see his beloved. It was the longest time he's spent away from her and would've been jumping up and down if he hadn't been so tired.

Howl quietly slinked his way past Calcifer and up the stairs, briefly stopping by his room to take off his jacket and shirt, stopping short of his pants and socks. He left his room and tiptoed down the hallway. Peeking into Markl's room to see him asleep on one of his spell book's at his desk. Chuckling to himself, Howl crept down the hallway and stopped in front of Sophie's room, hesitating slightly, with the hint of nervousness and playfulness in his mind. He slowly opened the door and quickly and quietly entered and closed the door. Turning around with hopes of seeing the form of his sleeping love, he found that her bed was empty and lonely.

A pang of shock and worry filled Howl's mind. It was way into the night and Sophie wasn't sleeping in her bed like she should've been. Panic flooding through his veins, Howl ran downstairs and shouted to no one in particular.

~Calcifer~

"Where is she? What happened to her? She should be here! Why isn't she here!" Pacing across the main room floor over and over again in the same pattern.

"Hey! What's the big idea, eh? Some people are trying to sleep you know!" shouted Calcifer from his fire pit, clearly annoyed at the sudden burst of Howl that woke him from his peaceful slumber. Only just noticing the cracks of thunder in the night.

"Calcifer, where's Sophie?"

"What? What do you mean 'where's Sophie?' She's been upstairs all day in her room. Hasn't even left the castle in days. The poor girl's been missing you terribly, you know."

"B-but, she's not in her room! It's the middle of the night, if she's not in her room, then where else could she be?" Howl shouted as he dropped down into the chair in front of the fire pit, covering his face with his hand in order to hide his weeping eyes. The deep hurt settling in from being so close to seeing her again to only find out she wasn't there.

"Look Howl, no one has left the castle so I _know _that Sophie and Markl are still here. Why don't you just go and wait for Sophie in her room and if I sense anyone enter or leave I call up to you, alright?" Calcifer noted the sheer look of desperation in Howl's eyes as he looked up, understanding. _'He's come a long way, that kid. No longer the heart breaker he once was not too long ago.' _Watching Howl slunk up the stairs, into Sophie's room.

~Howl~

He slowly walked into his beloved's bedroom and plopped on the bed, the delicate but intoxicating scent filling his nose and sent a rush to his heart, only to have his heart sink at the realization that Sophie wasn't here in the room. The idea of oozing green goo popped into his mind but quickly discouraged it, knowing she would have a fit if he'd gooed all over her room. The idea bringing a smile to his lips.

Then the sound of someone breathing came to Howl's ears. At first he thought he had imagined it, but then it was again. It couldn't be a coincidence and it seemed to be coming from… Sophie's closet?

"Hmmm…" Moving up form Sophie's bed and walking over to her closet, Howl stopped to put his ear to the closet door, the sound of breathing louder now. A jolt of happiness filled Howl's entire being, enough to open the door and look inside. Light from the storm outside occasionally lighting up Sophie's bedroom, followed by the familiar crack of thunder.

In the middle of Sophie's closet, was a lump on the floor, slowly but steadily rising up and down ever so slightly. Realizing that the lump must be Sophie, Howl bent down and started picking off piece by piece of his beloved's clothes until he was left with the sleeping form of Sophie Hatter, clutching a pillow for dear life it seamed. A look of distorted pain across her face, making Howl flinch. He leaned down to move a strand of stray starlight hair out of her face and moved the pillow out form under her. Then swiftly cradled her upper body with one arm and her legs with another, pressing her close against his toned chest all while being careful and loving to her.

He brought her out from her closet hide-away and set her down gently on her bed, then got in on the other side of the bed. He slipped his arms around her waist and brought her closer to him, her head laying on his chest. Pressing kisses lightly to her forehead, to the side of her head, up to kiss her hair and linger to inhale her sweet scent. Then down to kiss her forehead again, down to her nose, and finally he kissed her lips softly, so as no to wake her. Smiling widely, Howl pulled back so that their noses were just almost touching.

~Sophie~

Sophie's eyes fluttered open and found Howl staring lovingly into her eyes. Their noses practically touching in the dark.

"Howl?"

"Yes my love?"

"When did you get in? I didn't even hear you." yawned Sophie and wrapped her arms around Howl, cuddling closer.

"That's because you were asleep in your closet. Why was that?" Still staring lovingly into her eyes and her right back.

CRACK BOOM

"EEEKKK!" Sophie dove into Howl's arms tighter and buried her face in his warm toned chest, shivering violently. Instinctually, Howl tightened his hold on her waist and rubbed one hand down her back, back and forth to calm her down.

"Heh, Sophie, you never told me you were afraid of thunder and lightning." Howl chuckled in Sophie's ear.

"Well now you know! Thunder and lightning terrify me!" Sophie exclaimed, with her face still buried in Howl and her arms locked around him. Howl just smirked wide and brought Sophie up to look her in the eyes. Her eyes were still glued shut, so Howl gently kissed each closed eyelid until she opened them to stare back into his, fear still plastered on her face and worry shining her eyes.

"Sophie, the thunder and lightning won't hurt you. I won't let it." Howl leaned in so that his forehead was resting on Sophie's. "And do you know why?" Sophie shook her head, a mix of confusion and fear on her face. "I won't let it hurt you, because I love you Sophie. You're the most beautiful young woman I've ever laid eyes on. Your smart, witty, and have a heart of gold. You've helped me become a better person and unselfishly helped me get my heart back. I love you Sophie, I can't afford to let anything happen to you. If I ever lost you, I don't know what I'd do."

'_Did he really… He did, didn't he? I'm not imagining this…' _

"Oh Howl!" Pressing her lips against his, tightening her arms and moving to lay on Howl fully, chest against chest. Momentarily shocked, Howl quickly snapped back to reality and kissed Sophie back. A smile gracing his face when Sophie pulled back. "I love you too." Howl's smile grew into a huge grin, he quickly flipped over so that Sophie was under him with both his arms on either side of her head, a shocked smile on her beautiful face. Passion, love, lust, and desire crept up and took control over Howl as he leaned down and kissed his love passionately, her arms instinctually going around his neck, bringing him closer and keeping him there, enjoying the sensations of tingles that Howl was, she assumed, magically sending through her body.

'_I guess thunder and lightning isn't so bad after all…" _Sophie thought happily.

The End

Pressing kisses to her head and face Sophie wakes up huggs him back thunder craxk shopie gets scard tells howl why howl holds her close and they kiss


End file.
